Secrets and Witchery
by yinspirit
Summary: Anthony is a werewolf ashamed of his powers. Theresa is a witch outcasted by her family. When she needs an assistant, he tentatively volunteers.
1. Chapter 1

Anthony was bored. Not for any real reason, but a dull job working part time at the grocery store doesn't exactly make for an enjoyable time. Day in and day out, it was scan, bag, "Have a nice day!". He had worked at the same place since he was a teenager, having to pitch in as soon as he was old enough. His mom had worked two jobs ever since his father had left her and his two sons. Anthony had only been a baby.

In Moonlight Falls, the citizens, at least, were a varied bunch. Witches and werewolves, fairies and vampires, ghosts and normal Sims all living together, whether peacefully or unpeacefully. And Anthony, no matter how much he wished it wasn't true, was part of the Supernatural bunch. Specifically, a werewolf. You wouldn't know it by looking at him. He wore glasses, was almost worryingly pale, and was about as gawky as one could get. Yet when the full moon rose, he was Alpha material. But he didn't like to talk about it. In fact, the only people who knew about his condition were his mother and his older brother Colin. It would have been difficult for Colin not to know, as Colin was the one that turned him. But that's another story.

Anthony was doing his job just like any other day, when someone caught his attention. "Hey there!" called a girl. He dutifully walked over to her, smiling politely.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yes, I just wanted to double check if I could hang my flyers outside. I don't want to give anyone extra work tearing them down." She smiled. Anthony felt his mood lift. She was just so cheery it was hard not to feel the same way. He couldn't help but notice how pretty she was, too. Dark skinned, with bright blue eyes, a beauty mark on her lip, and black hair in a bob underneath a...witch's hat? Anthony looked again. In addition to the hat, she had a wand on her belt. Definitely a witch.

"Um, yeah. You're allowed, as long as you put it on the corkboard and not the glass." He replied. Man, it was always so hard for him to talk to strangers, but he had learned to deal with it. The girl smiled and ran off, pinning a few flyers to the corkboard before walking in the direction of the bookstore. Anthony couldn't help but wonder who she was.

As soon as his shift ended, Anthony walked out the door. The moon had risen, but luckily for him it wasn't full tonight. He looked around, before going up to the corkboard and pulling down one of the flyers the girl had left earlier.

_Looking for someone with good gathering skills to aid an aspiring alchemist. Must be a Young Adult or older. Payment will be free room and board. Must also love cats! If interested, contact Theresa Novinium._

There was a number at the bottom of the page. Anthony considered it, carefully folding the flier and sticking it in his pocket. A place to stay...it would certainly take a weight off his mother's shoulders. He didn't mind cats, and his condition did serve to make him a good gatherer. It seemed like a good deal. He hailed a cab home and decided to call the number in the morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Anthony was nervous. He passed his phone from one hand to the other, trying to get the courage to dial. He really tried to avoid taking to new people when he could, but this was a good opportunity, and he knew it. Finally, he took a deep breath and dialed the number.

"This is Theresa speaking." She answered.

"H-hi," Anthony stuttered. "I-I'm calling about the ad you put out. You need a gatherer?"

"Oh that's great!" she chirped. "To be honest, I was a little worried no one would call. What's your name?"

"A-Anthony. Anthony Durant."

"Okay then Anthony." She said, politely ignoring his stutter. "I'd just like a little evidence of your skill. Nothing personal, I just want to make sure you're qualified. Is that okay?"

"Um, yeah. What do you want me to do?"

"Nothing too hard. Just find me a hunk of iron. Think you can manage?"

A hunk of iron. Common in this town, it shouldn't be too hard to track down. "Alright. What should I do with it once I have it?" Anthony asked. Theresa rattled off an address, wished him luck, and hung up. Anthony put his phone away, then looked out the window. It was late morning. He would have to wait until nightfall. It would make it harder for people to recognize him. In the meantime, he occupied himself with books.

When the moon rose, Anthony quietly left the apartment and walked down the street. Making sure to keep his head down, he headed to the lakefront. Since it was a cold night, no one was around. Anthony quickly surveyed the area, took a deep breath, and began the change.

He hunched over as his muscles bunched and grew, becoming large and strong. His jaw ached as it shifted forward, providing an under-bite for the fangs that grew from his lower jaw. His skin tingled as thick, dark hair came in, completely covering his body. His nails became long and hard, turning into claws. Anthony felt all this shifting and growing and changing with incredible sensitivity, and the cry he gave from the pain was released as a deep howl.

Panting, he went down on all fours and took a deep sniff. Metals, gems, insects, fish, all travelled to his now heightened sense of smell. Catching the scent he needed, the bounded off.

He found the iron he needed in about an hour, placing it in the pocket of his coat. He grimaced as he stood up and returned to his regular form, this time a growl of discomfort ending in a soft whine of pain. He continued to take deep, heavy breaths as he adjusted his clothing and began to stagger home. The change, either time, was always painful. The complete metamorphosis of one's body was something you could never truly get used to. But, like so many other things, Anthony had to learn to manage if he wanted to get by.

The next afternoon, Anthony was knocking on the door of a small motel room. Theresa answered it, smiling as brightly as the day he met her. "Hi, may I help you?" She asked. In answer, Anthony held out the piece of raw iron.

"Uh, you asked for this?" he offered.

"Oh, so you're Anthony." She took the iron from him and beckoned him in. "This is my last night in this motel. Tomorrow I'm moving in to my grandmother's old house. Plenty big enough for two people." She scribbles down something on the stationary. "Well, since you were the first to call and the first to complete my little task, you've got the job." She handed him the stationary with a flourish. "Here's the address for the place. Would you mind meeting me there around 2 p.m.?"

Anthony nodded and put the piece of paper in his pocket. "I'll bring my things and meet you then. I-if that's alright."

Theresa smiled. "That's fine. We can move in together."

Anthony couldn't help but smile back. He headed out the door and headed back to his apartment to pack for the big move tomorrow.


End file.
